Ten years ago, activated charcoal was considered a fairly effective means of combating excess weight. It was later replaced by appetite regulators and various dietary supplements. However, today, when new medicines have become too expensive or have been completely discontinued, a serious discussion has once again developed around charcoal on the Internet. Therefore, let's find out how this medicine works and whether it can really help you get rid of extra pounds at home.
Beneficial Features
Activated charcoal is a medicine, not a fat-burning agent. And it helps not so much those who want to get rid of extra pounds, but those who need serious cleansing of their body. Therefore, among the positive manifestations of using the medicine, what comes to light are not the "melted" centimeters at the waist or problems, but:
- Stabilization of the digestive tract.
- Removal of toxins and other harmful substances from the body.
- Slightly slows down the skin aging process (due to increased fluid intake).
- Reducing blood cholesterol and, as a result, improving the functioning of the brain and cardiovascular system and accelerating metabolism.
- Improve the functioning of the liver, adrenal glands, kidneys and several other internal organs.
- There is no sedimentation, as the active elements of the medicine are not absorbed, but are completely eliminated from the body within 8 to 10 hours after administration.
- Reducing the likelihood of staph infection, dysentery and some airborne diseases (e. g. flu).
Indications for use
As for all types of diets (which we will consider in more detail below), the use of activated charcoal is justified only when combined with other methods. However, in medical reference books you can find many other indications for its use. So, those who suffer from:
- Metabolic disorders.
- Stomach upsets, fermentation, flatulence, diarrhea.
- Consequences of severe detoxification.
- Poisoning by alkaloids, heavy metal salts and other harmful substances.
- Poisoning of various etiologies.
And this is just a small list of situations in which it will be extremely useful. However, do not forget that you can take the medicine not just once, but in a course only after your doctor's approval, as you may have contraindications to taking it.
Contraindications
Although activated charcoal cleaning is practiced everywhere, not everyone should use it. In addition to individual intolerance, reasons for refusal may include:
- Vitamin deficiency or metabolic disorder.
- Insufficient age (under 14 years old) or excessive age (over 65 years old) of the person losing weight.
- Pregnancy and lactation in young mothers.
- Low blood pressure.
- The presence of problems in the gastrointestinal tract: colitis, duodenal ulcer or any others.
- The patient is taking certain medications (e. g. , antitoxins).
- Predisposition to constipation and bulimia, presence of intestinal dysbiosis.
- Internal bleeding (regardless of its origin).
As you can see, drinking is not always beneficial. And in some cases it can even be dangerous to your health. Therefore, if you are planning to start losing weight with activated charcoal, consult your doctor first.
There is a result
Is charcoal effective as a means of losing weight? In search of an answer to this question, let us turn to the experience of those who have already tested these pills on themselves. According to reviews, in two weeks without using additional methods (effective diets, physical activity), people managed to lose about 2-4 kg. Furthermore, the higher the initial weight of someone who loses weight, the better results they can achieve.
However, let's find out if activated charcoal really promotes weight loss? In truth. It turns out that when you start taking these pills, you correspondingly increase your water intake. After previously filling the stomach with water, the person eats less at the next meal. The result is weight loss. In other words, it is quite possible to achieve the same result in the same period without consuming activated charcoal. It will be enough to drink a glass of still water at room temperature about 20-30 minutes before meals.
But what the drug really does well is cleanse the body. After a two-week course, many people notice:
- Improved skin condition: disappearance of blackheads and oily shine.
- The appearance of lightness in the body.
- Stabilization of intestinal function.
However, all this only happens if you take the medicine correctly. If you forget the measure and when consuming you are guided by the principle "the more, the better", you could develop a series of complications.
Harm to the body
It seems that we all know coal from childhood - as an excellent remedy for intestinal problems and excessive gas formation. So, what negative consequences can we talk about? Let us remember that activated charcoal is, first and foremost, a medicine. This means that overdose or misuse can cause damage to the body. This can be expressed in:
- Avitaminosis and hypovitaminosis
Activated carbon is an excellent adsorbent, but it removes not only toxins from the body, but also nutrients.
- External deterioration
With prolonged use, you risk nullifying all the positive effects of "cleansing": fair skin will become dull and covered with pimples, nails will become brittle and hair will begin to fall out.
- Cold
Excessive slowing of peristalsis is a sure companion of severe constipation, which is not far from diarrhea and hemorrhoids.
- Damage to the intestinal walls
Two weeks of moderate use of the drug will not cause negative consequences. However, if you get carried away, you will certainly have problems with your gastrointestinal tract.
- Reducing the effect of taking other medications
Instead of having a restorative effect on the body, the beneficial substances and antibodies contained in the tablets will be actively removed along with toxins.
- Reduction of blood pressure and thromboembolism
And all this is true only for completely healthy people. How self-medication or "grandmother's" prescription based on activated charcoal will affect those who already suffer from a chronic disease, we can only imagine. But there is clearly no need to talk about improvements.
Of course, the above does not mean that it is harmful to your health. It turns out that the benefits will only be noticeable if taken correctly. And it may turn out to be completely different from what you expect.
Dosage and rules of administration
So which application method will have the ideal effect and not cause irreparable damage? The exact course can only be prescribed by the attending physician who knows the characteristics of your body. In general, the admission rules are as follows:
- The duration of the course starts from 3 days and should not exceed 2 weeks (the same applies to diets that include the use of this medication).
- The number of tablets that must be taken per day (at least 3 approaches) is calculated by the formula: 1 tablet for every 10 kg of weight. That is, if you weigh 50 kg you need to drink 5 tablets a day, if you weigh 113 kg - 11 tablets.
- The medicine should be introduced into the daily menu gradually. If your norm is 7 pieces, then in the first 2-3 days it is better not to take more than 5 tablets, gradually increasing the dose. The same applies to completing the course.
- The dose is taken one hour before or after meals. However, you should not drink it in the morning (on an empty stomach), it is better to do it an hour after breakfast.
- After completing the course, take a break of at least 2 weeks.
- Take the tablets with boiled water at room temperature. This will prevent all types of bacteria from entering the body and help the medicine work faster.
- At the end of the consultation, be sure to contact your doctor so that he can prescribe you a course of multivitamins (to restore the body's vitamin balance).
Furthermore, if you want to get the most benefits from consuming activated charcoal, try to follow the following recommendations:
- Reduce your consumption of flour products and those containing sugar.
- Avoid alcohol completely.
- Eliminate dishes rich in sugar, fat and harmful elements from your daily menu.
- Drink water (at least 1 liter for every 30 kg of weight, but up to 2. 5 liters in total).
- Switch from coffee to weak tea without any additives.
- Increase your physical activity by making sure that exercise (like morning exercise, evening running, or swimming in the pool) gives you a burst of energy and strength rather than exhausting you completely.
Follow these simple rules and losing weight with activated charcoal will definitely benefit you. Even if not all the extra pounds disappear, you will feel much better than before the course started.
Reception variations
As already mentioned, many people begin to actively take the medicine in an attempt to lose weight. So, let's look at the most popular methods and evaluate their effectiveness:
Option #1: Smooth
Essence:The weight loss diet remains unchanged and no additional efforts to lose weight are taken into account. Tablets should be taken in the amount of 2 pieces, 1. 5 hours - an hour before meals. Course duration varies from 10 days to two weeks.
Result:There will be no significant weight loss (maximum - 3-4 kg in 14 days). However (if other conditions remain unchanged), the lost centimeters will disappear forever, lightness will appear in the body, intestinal function will stabilize and daily activity will increase significantly.
Option #2: Three-Day Diet
Essence:For 3 days, the person who is losing weight follows a certain diet. Additional physical activity is not taken into account, but is not prohibited.
- Day 1
During the day, you can only eat activated charcoal with kefir and water. Further, first you take a few tablets (based on weight), drinking them with a glass of warm still water, and after half an hour - a glass of kefir. If you usually eat more than three times a day, the portion size and number of tablets should be reduced. In this case, the interval between meals should be at least 2-3 hours.
- Day 2
The current "dish list" is completely the same as the previous day's menu, but with one difference. Kefir is replaced with apples at the rate of one apple for each glass.
- Day 3
On this day the diet remains the same, but instead of kefir you will eat a vegetable salad with olive oil dressing or steamed vegetables without salt.
Result:This diet is one of the express diets and therefore you can lose up to 5 kg. However, the menu provides for a rather abrupt and radical refusal of products, which is not to everyone's taste. As you lose weight, you may experience severe headaches, weakness, and bouts of uncontrollable appetite (which can even increase your weight). Therefore, you should not follow this diet during your period or when you are doing things that require greater attention and concentration.
If this diet was easy for you, the course can be continued, extending to 15 days. However, you should stop taking activated charcoal and, at the end of the diet, take a multivitamin.
Option #3: Two-Week Activated Charcoal Diet
Essence:For 14 days, those who lose weight eat according to a certain pattern, designed to gradually alleviate the feeling of hunger. At the same time, 30-60 minutes before meals (except for the second breakfast), he takes activated charcoal (2 tablets) with a glass of warm still water. When evaluating effectiveness, additional physical activity is not taken into account.
Day 1:
- Breakfast: a portion (0. 2 kg) of oatmeal cooked in water and a glass of green or black tea without additives. If you wish, you can season the porridge with raisins, and with tea you can eat some bread with a thin piece of cheese.
- Second breakfast: a glass of low-fat kefir.
- Lunch: lean meat broth (veal or chicken) and 0. 2 kg of boiled vegetables.
- Dinner: fresh fruit salad, dressed with a spoonful of sour cream or homemade yogurt.
Day 2:
- Breakfast: buckwheat cooked in water, plus a boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: apple, kiwi or small banana.
- Lunch: vegetable broth and 0. 15 kg of pollock roasted in its own juice without adding seasonings.
- Dinner: apple and 0. 2 kg of cottage cheese with a fat content of no more than 7%.
Day 3:
- Breakfast: a plate of freshly cooked rice and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: steamed chicken (0. 2 kg) and vegetable salad dressed with low-fat cream.
- Dinner: vegetable casserole and a glass of tea.
Day 4:
- Breakfast: a plate of oatmeal cooked with skimmed milk, a glass of tea and a handful of raisins.
- Second breakfast: cucumber and two boiled eggs.
- Lunch: a bowl of lean fish soup. You can eat no more than 0. 1 kg of the fish itself.
- Dinner: a portion of cottage cheese and a banana.
Day 5:
- Breakfast: 1 medium tomato, a sandwich (bread + thin slice of cheese) and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: 0. 05 kg of cottage cheese and a cup of skimmed milk. If desired, you can add some buns.
- Lunch: vegetable soup cooked in meat broth and 0. 1 kg of boiled lean meat.
- Dinner: fresh vegetable salad.
6th:
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge cooked in water (without additives), one boiled egg and cucumber.
- Second breakfast: a cup of low-fat kefir and a small fruit of your choice.
- Lunch: low-fat meat broth (0. 2 kg) and cucumber.
- Dinner: cottage cheese (0. 1 kg), seasoned with a spoonful of homemade yogurt (no additives).
Day 7:
- Breakfast: oatmeal cooked with milk, 0. 1 kg of homemade yogurt and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a cup of kefir.
- Lunch: vegetable casserole and 0. 1 kg of lean boiled meat.
- Dinner: vegetable salad dressed with homemade yogurt.
Day 8:
- Breakfast: two cucumbers, two sandwiches with low-fat cheese and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: chicken broth and 0. 1 kg of vegetable casserole.
- Dinner: two cucumbers and a portion of boiled mussels.
Day 9:
- Breakfast: rice cooked in water and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of kefir and an apple.
- Lunch: a portion of low-fat borscht and 0. 1 kg of boiled chicken breast.
- Dinner: cucumber and tomato salad and 0. 2 kg of boiled shrimp.
10th day:
- Breakfast: 2 baked apples, a portion of cottage cheese and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of kefir and bread.
- Lunch: a plate of lean fish soup.
- Dinner: steamed vegetables.
Day 11:
- Breakfast: cucumber, sandwich (bread + thin slice of boiled chicken breast) and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of fermented milk and an apple.
- Lunch: a bowl of low-fat chicken broth.
- Dinner: vegetable salad and 0. 1 kg of cottage cheese.
Day 12:
- Breakfast: a portion of cottage cheese, two cucumbers, a boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: a plate of low-fat borscht and 0. 1 kg of boiled mushrooms.
- Dinner: boiled chicken breast (0. 1 kg) and vegetable salad.
Day 13:
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge cooked in water, boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: small fruit of your choice.
- Lunch: a dish of vegetable broth and 0. 15 kg of pollock roasted in its own juice without adding seasonings.
- Dinner: apple and 0. 2 kg of cottage cheese with a fat content of no more than 7%.
Day 14:
- Breakfast: a portion of oatmeal boiled in water and a glass of tea. If you wish, you can season the porridge with raisins, and with tea you can eat some bread with a thin piece of cheese.
- Second breakfast: a glass of low-fat kefir.
- Lunch: a portion of low-fat meat broth and 0. 2 kg of boiled vegetables.
- Dinner: fruit salad dressed with a spoonful of sour cream or homemade yogurt.
Result:As this diet is classified as moderate, you can follow it even with increased daily activity. In two weeks, with its help you can lose about 5-7 kg, which (if you follow a similar menu, but without charcoal) will not return in the future.
Black or white: choosing the "right" charcoal
Today the range of medicines is huge. So, if earlier it was only possible to buy black activated charcoal at the pharmacy, today, along with it, pharmacists offer white charcoal tablets. Advertising for a new fashionable product promises buyers a milder effect, the removal of only toxins from the body and the ability to take long-term courses (more than 2 weeks).
The only thing is that the instructions for use of both drugs are almost identical, and nanorobots (which could reliably determine which element harms the body and which helps) are not included in white coal. In addition, if traditional black coal costs a penny, you will have to pay several times more for white coal. Whether such a "game" is worth it, decide for yourself.
Let's summarize what was said above. As practice shows, activated charcoal for weight loss will be ineffective. Without the help of other solutions (diet, exercise), with their help you can lose a maximum of 2 to 3 kilos. In this case, an overdose of the drug threatens serious problems for the body. However, if you need to cleanse your body quickly, for example after a big feast, you won't find a better solution. Plus, it's always available and cheap.